Sunday, October 12, 2008

Leeches For Migraines, Anyone?

When Demi Moore recently revealed that she undergoes leech treatments for her overall health “in this woman’s apartment”, it raised more than a few late-snacks from the bottom of people’s stomachs. Just how often are medicinal leeches used nowadays? And are they used for migraine treatment?

They’re Used For Migraines

Instead of having Big Pharma leech all of the money from your savings account, you can get real leeches to suck your blood. Does it hurt? Oh, yeah — patients say the first bite is incredibly sharp, but them subsides as their slimy doctors feed.

Practitioners are using medicinal leeches for a variety of ailments, including migraines, rhuematoid arthritis, gout, skin ulcers, wound cleaning and vasulitits. You usually need a few treatments in order to find any relief with the leeches.

Quite frankly, I haven’t been able to find any statistics on just how many migraineurs are turning to leeches for help or how effective they are. I have only found one reference that a clinical trial was performed, but have not found the results.

Not News

Using leeches for migraines isn’t a revolutionary new idea. Hippocrates, as well as writing oaths, recommended leeches for migraine treatment around 400 BC. It is thought he learned about medicinal leeches from Babylonian healers. Before Hippocrates, one of the only migraine treatments available was to get a hole drilled into your head (called trepaning).

Before You Get Stuck

You can’t just plop any old leech on your head and expect relief. There are only certain strains of leeches that are considered medicinal leeches. Although Demi Moore claims she goes to a private home to get her leech treatment, you usually have to go to a doctor.

Demand for medicinal leeches is rising as demand for alternative therapies rises. And you really can’t get more natural than a blood-sucking leech. The FDA even recognizes that they can have positive qualities.

If you have an infected wound or are threatened with gangrene from diabetes, then medicinal leeches and maggots can clean your wound better than a room full of doctors with various diplomas. But the jury is still out for the use of leeches for migraines.

Personally, I’d rather just have the migraine.

http://www.dealingwithheadaches.com/leeches-for-migraines-anyone/

Uses of Leech Therapy in Patients with Skin Grafts

Leeches, as we all know, can be viewed by many as quite disgusting creatures to look at, especially when they are full and bloated after gorging themselves on blood. Many people fear leeches and most stay away from them. Just the thought of having a leech attach themselves to a part of the body is enough to scare anybody. But remember, there are leeches that serve many purposes, especially when it comes to the medicine world. These medicinal leeches have long been used in the treatment of illnesses and diseases, and they have also been used in the healing process of skin grafts.

What is a Skin Graft?

When a patch of skin is taken from the same individual and transplanted to another part of their body, it is called skin grafting or skin transplant. The patch of skin taken from an individual is removed from an area of the body that has good circulation to increase the chance of healing quickly and properly. Common areas where skin grafts are taken are those that are hidden underneath clothes, usually from the buttocks or inner thighs. After skin harvesting, the donor site is covered with sterile and non-adhesive dressing so as to prevent the occurrence of infection.

After the patch of healthy skin is harvested, it is carefully spread over the required area. To keep it in place so as to promote good healing and good revascularization, well-padded dressings that exert gentle pressure are placed over the skin graft. Stitches can also be used to keep the skin graft in place to allow growth of new blood vessels, supplying the transplanted skin with blood, thus, increasing the healing process.

Skin grafts, although taken from the same individual, can still present a lot of risks. Infection of the recipient site can occur and delay healing and complications can also arise such as poor venous drainage leading to skin graft tissue death, and this is most especially true for patients whose vascular system is compromised.

If this occurs, skin grafting can be repeated in the hope that the graft will be successful the next time, but nowadays, many surgeons use leeches to avoid the above from happening.

Why Use Leech Therapy?

Leech therapy has been used for many years as a treatment for many conditions, especially when it comes to infection, so studies were done and it has been found, tested, and proven that leech therapy can really aid in the healing process of skin grafts.

How does leech therapy promote healing and recovery of patients who have undergone skin grafting?

As soon as the leeches attach themselves to the skin graft site, they begin to suck blood. While sucking, they also release a component called hirudin from their saliva. This component is very important in the inhibition of platelet aggregation (the process where the platelets clump or stick together) and coagulation cascade (a series of processes that ends with fibrin clot formation).

If these two detrimental complications are present in a skin graft, there will be marked venous congestion, which slows down the healing process of the skin graft. When the skin graft receives poor circulation, the site becomes cyanotic [a condition in which the skin and mucous membranes take on a bluish colour because there is not enough oxygen in the blood], then it hardens and cools until the transplanted tissue dies. Now, because of the hirudin and the Factor Xa inhibitor present in the leech’s saliva, these processes are inhibited. Since there is a vasodilator component in their saliva too, venous congestion is further reduced, promoting good blood flow into the skin graft. After continuous medicinal leech therapy, the skin graft will soon turn warm and pinkish, a good sign that there is an adequate blood supply.

Frequency of Leech Therapy in Patients with Skin Grafts

Medicinal Leeches suck on the area for up to an hour or more, where they can consume one to two teaspoons of blood. Two days after leech therapy, the skin graft site will show a noticeable increased blood supply to the area.

The frequency of leech therapy in patients with skin replants is about four days to five days, while the frequency in patients whose skin grafts became compromised is about six to ten days.

Leech Therapy Contraindications

Not all patients who undergo skin grafts are a candidate for leech therapy. Those who have AIDS or HIV are not recommended to undertake medicinal leech therapy because it could put them at risk of bacterial sepsis. Likewise, patients who take immunosuppressive drugs are also not advised to undergo leech therapy due to the same reason.

Skin Diseases

The skin is the body’s primary line of defense against infection. There are three common layers to the skin - Epidermis, Dermis and Hypodermis, composed of skin cells, capillaries, sweat glands, and hair follicles.

Common skin diseases often occur in the two uppermost layers, the epidermis and the dermis. Uncomplicated skin diseases are easily cured because the skin generally sheds after a couple of days, but more complicated skin diseases are rooted at the hypodermis level and these are more difficult to cure. Some skin diseases are rendered incurable and only subject to remission and exacerbation; that is, they remain idle on occasions and flare up from time to time.

Hirudotherapy to Treat Boils

Boils are infections deep in the skin. A boil begins as a red area and gradually becomes tender and firm. An ‘eye’ forms at the center and contains yellow fluid called pus, which is composed of white blood cells, dead bacteria and proteins.

During leech therapy, leeches are placed directly over the eye of the boil, so they can feed directly on the pus and at the same time, other leeches will be placed around the area to rid the body of pooled blood. This is important, because pooled blood causes pressure, leading to tenderness and will relieve the patient of pain.

Hirudotherapy to Treat Shingles


Shingles [Herpes Zoster] is a viral skin disease in adults and occurs due to reactivation in adulthood of dormant viral matter leftover from a bout of chickenpox in childhood. Although lifelong immunity to chickenpox is commonly spoken about, the viruses that cause it may lie dormant for years in sensory nerve cells, reactivating themselves and causing an attack of shingles at times when the immune system is weak, resulting in inflammation, pain, and a rash of small skin blisters.

The skin manifestation of herpes zoster is not serious, but the pain caused by the inflammation of the underlying nerve can be severe, lasting for weeks.

Treatment for Shingles is designed merely to limit the severity and duration of pain because there are usually post infection complications like neuralgia [chronic severe pain around a nerve path]. Leeches saliva contains a substance that has analgesic [pain killing] effects. Pain relief is known to be more powerful and longer lasting than general pain relieving tablets.

Hirudotherapy for Psoriasis

There are many skin diseases that can be treated with Hirudotherapy and one disease worth mentioning is Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common skin condition that occurs when the skin cells replace themselves too quickly. There are many different types, but the most common is chronic plaque psoriasis.

What are the symptoms?

The extent of the disease can vary from a few tiny lesions here and there on the body, but are most commonly seen on knees, elbows, the chest and scalp, appearing as red, scaly patches that reveal fine silvery scales when scraped or scratched and often itch and feel uncomfortable. This condition can cause sufferers to become withdrawn and uncomfortable in forming relationships because of the way people react to the appearance of their skin.

What causes it?

Why psoriasis occurs is unknown, which makes it quite impossible to prevent. However, many things are thought to trigger the condition, including skin injury, sore throats/chest infections, some drug treatments, sunburn and even stress. As hopeless as it all may sound, ancient doctors have been using Hirudotherapy to improve the outcome of skin diseases like psoriasis. Not only are leeches useful for sucking pooled blood, their saliva also contains active substances that are bactericidal [fights off bacteria that proliferates over thick layers of excess skin cells]. Other substances in the leech’s saliva also cause gradual slowing of skin cell production, giving noticeable relief for patients.

Hirudotherapy for Alopecia (Baldness)

Hirudotherapy for Alopecia

Alopecia is more commonly known as baldness. We are not talking about the normal age-related baldness, but the gradual and radical hair loss due to a fungal infection or dandruff.

About 100 hairs are naturally lost from the head every day, though the average human scalp contains between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs. Genetic baldness is caused by the body's failure to produce sufficient new hairs, not by excessive hair loss. It affects men more than women, although women also can develop a characteristic pattern of hair loss. About one quarter of men have started balding by the time they are thirty, and about two thirds are either bald or are balding by 60.

One of the advantages of Hirudotherapy is improvement of blood circulation. Bald spots in your head have less hair density because they have less blood circulation compared to other parts. The proliferation of fungi in the area can be one of the factors that cause the reduced blood flow.

Leech therapy is not generally associated with treating alopecia, but is very effective nonetheless. Blood circulation improves as a result and the body’s natural defense against fungal infection can once again be delivered to the affected areas, thereby promoting healing.

The Benefits of Leech Therapy and its Effects

Yes, leeches can be thought of as slimy and unattractive creatures, but ugly or not, they do serve a lot of medical purposes when it comes to us, humans.

Since ancient times, leeches were used to treat many illnesses and disease through bloodletting, a method where blood was drawn out in the hope that removing impure blood would heal the body. Believe it or not, leech therapy is sometimes the best alternative in treating illnesses, and even surpasses pharmacological treatments. Because of its healing effects to the human body, this traditional method of curing diseases is still thriving today.

The Benefits of Leech Therapy

There are more than 600 species of leeches that have been identified, but only 15 of the species are used medically, so they are given a class of their own. They are classified as Hirudo Medicinalis or medicinal leeches.

Leech therapy has been used and is still in use for many diseases of the body. They are used to treat arthritis and other inflammatory processes. It is perfect for those with vascular (arterial and venous diseases), heart (ischemic diseases and hypertension), and lung problems (bronchitis and bronchial asthma). The medicinal leeches can also help in patients with pneumonia. The GI or gastrointestinal tract can also benefit from leech therapy, especially those who suffer from hepatitis, stomach ulcers, and pancreatitis, among others. Likewise, individuals with problems in their genitourinary system and gynecological disorders will also benefit greatly from leech therapy. Skin diseases like psoriasis, herpes, and eczema can also be treated with leech therapy. Other problems known to benefit from leech therapy are the eyes (example is glaucoma) and the brain (for infantile cerebral palsy).

But how exactly do leeches treat these many illnesses and diseases?

Anticoagulating Effects of Leeches

The leech’s saliva contains enzymes and compounds that act as an anticoagulation agent. The most prominent of these anticoagulation agents is hirudin, which binds itself to thrombins, thus, effectively inhibiting coagulation of the blood.

Another compound that prevents coagulation is calin. This, on the other hand, works as an anticoagulant by prohibiting the von Willebrand factor to bind itself to collagen, and it is also an effective inhibitor of platelet aggregation caused by collagen.

The saliva of the leeches also contains Factor Xa inhibitor which also blocks the action of the coagulation factor Xa.

Clot Dissolving Effects of Leeches

The action of destabilase is to break up any fibrins that have formed. It also has a thrombolytic effect, which can also dissolve clots of blood that have formed.
Anti-inflammatory Effects of Leeches

Bdellins is a compound in the leech’s saliva that acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by inhibiting trypsin as well as plasmin. It also inhibits the action of the acrosin. Another anti-inflammatory agent is the eglins.

Vasodilating Effects of Leeches

There are three compounds in the leeches’ saliva that act as a vasodilator agent, and they are the histamine-like substances, the acetylcholine, and the carboxypeptidase A inhibitors. All these act to widen the vessels, thus, causing inflow of blood to the site.

Bacteriostatic and Anesthetic Effects of Leeches

The saliva of leeches also contains anesthetic substances which deaden pain on the site and also bacteria-inhibiting substances which inhibit the growth of bacteria.

Overall Effects to the Human Body

Once the leeches attach themselves to the skin of the patient and start sucking blood, the saliva enters the puncture site and along with it the enzymes and compounds responsible for all these positive effects. Working together, they act to cure the disease present in the individual. Because of anticoagulation agents, the blood becomes thinner, allowing it to flow freely through the vessels. The anti-clotting agents also dissolve clots found in the vessels, eliminating the risk of them traveling to other parts of the body and blocking an artery or vein. The vasodilating agents help widen the vessel walls by dilating them, and this causes the blood to flow unimpeded, too.

Patients who suffer from pain and inflammation will feel relief from the anti-inflammatory and anesthetic effects of the leech’s saliva.

In the long run, leech therapy also helps to normalize the blood pressure of hypertensive individuals as well as lessen their risk of suffering from stroke and heart attacks. Blood circulation is also improved with leech therapy and it helps with the healing process of wounds, as well as wounds and lesions caused by diabetes. There is also a noticeable boost in the immune system’s function due to bacteriostatic agents.

Contraindication to Leech Therapy

Leech therapy is contraindicated to patients with HIV and AIDS. It is also not recommended to patients who are on immunosuppressive drugs. Leech therapy puts these patients at risk for bacterial sepsis, thus, worsening their conditions

Leeches: What Do They Do?

What exactly do leeches do? I mean, aside from swimming around murky pools and sticking to people’s legs, what do they really do? Well, to answer this question, perhaps it’s best if we find out what exactly leeches are first.

What Are Leeches?

Leeches are what we call annelids. They comprise the subclass Hirudinea. There are three types of leeches, fresh water leeches, terrestrial leeches, and marine leeches. Most of them live in fresh water, but there are also those that prefer to live on land, particularly in low foliage or in rain forests. There are also some leeches that can be found in dry forests, but only in places where there is a bit of moisture. During the dry season, these leeches often burrow themselves in the ground, where they hibernate even without water. They simply shrivel up and become rigid and their bodies become very dry. If you sprinkle them with water, they recover completely within ten minutes.

Those that live in the water usually prefer bodies of water that are relatively slow moving and calm. A lot of leeches may also be found in murky waters, which makes them harder to spot.

Leeches, quite interestingly are hermaphrodites – meaning they’re both male and female. When they reproduce, one of them merely chooses to play the role of female and another chooses to play the role of male.

They Bite and They Suck Blood

Contrary to popular belief, most leeches don’t really rely solely on drinking blood. Some of them actually eat other invertebrates that are smaller than them, swallowing them whole. Some leeches can’t bite and are content to feed off decomposing bodies.

Leeches that suck blood are called Haemophagic leeches, “Haemo” meaning blood and “Phago” meaning ‘to eat’. They attach themselves to their hosts only until they become full, after which, they will simply fall off and start digesting the blood they sucked out. These leeches suck blood through the anterior sucker which is composed of the first six segments of the invertebrate’s thirty four segments. It uses this ‘mouth’ to attach to the host. They also release some sort of anesthetic, which is the reason why you don’t feel the leeches when they bite. They then use suction and mucus to stay on their host. Once they open up a bite wound, they secrete an anti-clotting enzyme called Hirudin into the bloodstream so that blood will keep flowing. Sometimes, blood will continue to seep for hours after the leech has been removed, which is due to the anti-clotting enzyme in their saliva. While this may sound terrifying, being bitten by a leech isn’t deadly or dangerous.

They’re not really the villains that popular media often portrays them to be. In fact, leeches are actually very harmless. The amount of blood lost due to a leech’s bite isn’t really significant and when they’re full (which doesn’t take long), they simply fall off and go on with their lives.

People who bushwalk and don’t want leeches to attach, despite being relatively harmless are known to touch them with a cigarette end or a lighted match to release their grip, or they pour carbonated drinks over the leech. However, doing this can cause the leech to vomit its stomach’s contents into the opening wound, thereby increasing the risk of infection. So, it’s best if possible to disable their suckers by using a fingernail under the narrower end of the leech and flick them off. Never try to tear them off or it’ll worsen the wound, cause the leech to regurgitate its stomach contents, and possibly leave a portion of the leech’s mouth on the skin.

They Also Heal

Some of the popular leeches are the European Medical Leech or the Hirudo Medicinalis and some congeners. These are the ones used in the field of Medicine for microsurgery, grafting, and for reconstructive surgery. In the past, these leeches were used to cure infections and for bloodletting. They were quite popular during the medieval ages because they were known to cure infections; in fact, they remained great options for treating infections until antibiotics were discovered.

Doctors use leeches for microsurgery due to their ability of removing blood that has coagulated. They relieve venous congestion and muscle flaps. Leeches are also known to treat black eyes! Hirudin can be used to treat infections of the middle ear and is being tested as a systemic coagulant.

When used for medical purposes, a leech is NEVER used to treat more than one person, as bacteria and viruses present in their former host can transfer to the new host.

Leech Therapy: Is It Safe For You?

Present a random stranger with a leech and he’ll most likely have disgust written all over his face. Tell him that you’re going to let the leech bite him and he’ll look at you as if you’ve given him a death threat. Indeed, people’s reactions to leeches today are quite exaggerated and it’s almost funny to see how people over react to this poor and simple creature with no backbone to speak of. All people would usually remember are blotched camping trips where skinny-dipping led to lots of screaming and thrashing around because their legs suddenly got decorated with little black bloodsuckers. But, really, leeches are relatively harmless – not only that, they’re also very useful.

As you may have heard, the use of leeches in the field of medicine is widespread and very much accepted. They’re popular in the field of plastic surgery, especially for cases where grafting is quite difficult and also for reconstructive surgery. They’re also quite popular in microsurgery because of their ability to liquefy blood clots, thereby keeping the blood flowing and encouraging circulation.

But the idea of willingly letting a leech bite would be enough to make someone turn tail and run to the nearest exit. But really, leech therapy, aside from the minor inconveniences, is relatively harmless.

Pain

Of course, bites usually equate to pain and a leech’s bite is no exception, however, the pain that stems from a leech’s bite is slight. Some people say that it’s hardly noticeable and others say that it hurts as much as a wasp’s sting – but this is rather rare. The slight stinging sensation of a leech’s bite usually lasts for only about one to five minutes and after that, their natural local anesthetic effect kicks in. Usually, a patient’s pain is connected to their anxiety before the procedure, so simply put, the more you dread it, the more it hurts! So, the best thing is to try and distract yourself whenever leeches are applied and you probably won’t feel a thing.

Pruritus [Itchiness]

Itching on the site of the bite for the first few days is a common side effect of leech therapy. It’s not an allergic reaction, though people often mistake it to be so and it’s advised that the patient should be advised to avoid scratching the area because it delays wound healing. Local natural remedies for itching can be used, like cold moist wraps or vinegar wraps and if the itching is intense, antipruritic drugs like Fenistil ointment or an oral antihistamine can be used.

Blood Loss

Leeches are blood suckers, meaning that whenever they attach to your skin, they ingest some of your blood. Now, in the wild imaginations of people who abhor creepy crawly things, leeches can suck a person’s blood until the person shrivels up and dies, but of course, we know that this is really not the case! Leeches only suck about a teaspoon of blood and when they’re full, they naturally fall off. Of course leeches also have an enzyme called Hirudin in their saliva, which is an anticoagulant that is injected into a person’s bloodstream. However, blood may keep seeping several hours after the bite, which may cause some anxiety for the patient, but is nothing to worry about.

Infection

A leech’s body contains bacteria that may cause infection, but these microorganisms are easily killed by antibiotics, therefore it’s quite safe to use leech therapy.

Therapeutic Benefits for Diabetics

Diabetes

Today, Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the world. Millions of people have been diagnosed with Diabetes and everyday, thousands more become part of this statistic.

Diabetes: A Quick Overview

Diabetes is a condition caused by the pancreas’s failure to produce enough insulin. The difference between type 1 and type 2 is the degree of insulin depletion. In type 1 diabetes, the onset is usually early in childhood, where there is absolute depletion of insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the onset is usually in adulthood around the age of 45 or older; where insulin production occurs, but an insufficient amount of insulin is produced.

When we eat, sugar turns into glucose and enters our bloodstream and is distributed to our body cells. Glucose is the “food” that gives our cells energy to function and insulin is crucial for breaking down glucose into the form that our cells can use. Without insulin or with too little insulin, glucose will not be absorbed by our cells, and they in turn will have no or little energy.

In the above situation, glucose remains in the blood causing it to thicken, which can create complications in the body. Transporting blood from one
organ to another requires more effort, resulting in the vessel walls thickening and becoming less flexible. The heart also becomes overworked with the effort required to pump blood around the body and of course, thickened blood struggles to pass through capillaries, let alone the smaller blood vessels. This alone compromises the blood supply to distal organs, let alone the fact that viscous blood can predispose a patient to develop blood clots, which can travel to major organs like the brain, heart and lungs causing a stroke, heart attack or lung embolism.

Leech Therapy: An Ancient Science

Leech Therapy, also known as Hirudotherapy, is the treatment using medical leeches to assist various diseases. It is a therapy known since ancient times and remains very much in use today.

Hirudo Medicinalis is a species of leech used for medical applications, which are able to consume up to 15 ml of blood, therefore, therapists can use up to 12 leeches simultaneously or more, depending on the type of disease treated. When leeches bite, they inject their saliva into the wound. Their saliva contains enzymes, different chemicals and substances that bring about diverse therapeutic benefits for the patient.

Therapeutic Benefits for Diabetics

One of the most important substances recognised in leech salivary glands is Hirudin, a substance that suppresses the blood clotting mechanism. If you remember, it was mentioned earlier that Diabetes patients have viscous [thick] blood, which creates a higher risk of developing blood clots. Development and dislodgment of clots into the general circulation poses serious threats to anyone and can cause instant death, so the suppression of blood clotting is essential.

Hirudin also has a blood diluting effect, so apart from preventing blood clots; it also thins the blood, allowing the blood to circulate more easily, relieving pressure on the heart and blood vessels.

All These and More

Aside from Hirudin, there are many other active substances found in the saliva of leeches, which contribute to the improvement and normalization of capillary circulation. There are also other substances which produce a natural analgesic, provide antibacterial properties, lower blood pressure and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

In Diabetes and other diseases, the microcirculation restoration effect of Hirudotherapy is essential in preventing amputation of fingers and toes. As we know, the care of the fingers and toes are crucial and since a diabetic’s blood circulation can be sluggish, where blood is sometimes unable to fully penetrate capillaries, the body cannot heal the smallest of wounds, or worse, necrosis [tissue death] can result and sometimes amputation of a finger, toe or limb is necessary to stop the spread of this condition to other parts of the body and Leech Therapy is known to improve circulation in distal parts of the body (i.e. extremities).

Today, hospitals worldwide use leeches to assist a number of areas, including restoration of circulation in reattaching parts of the body, such as fingers, toes, ears or hands which have been accidentally amputated and good blood supply and nerve connection is essential for recovery. These reattachment procedures are often complemented with leech therapy so that circulation is restored more easily and safely.

Little Research

Scientific research is ongoing regarding the use of leeches in assisting countless diseases in the medical arena. Leeches are without doubt, miraculous creatures; their obvious advantage is the fact they have survived for several centuries, therefore allowing us to acknowledge that some mysteries of nature, for the time being, may remain unmeasured.

Leeches have and will always be thought of as the “wonder doctors” of science.

http://toolsforlife-dvd.com.au/diabetes.html

Leech Therapy: Migraines

Millions of people suffer from Migraines each year, in fact, eleven out of a hundred are said to have suffered or are suffering from Migraine headaches. Migraines are also said to be one of the leading causes of unproductivity in workplaces. Indeed, migraines can easily become the bane of a person’s existence, especially since the pain is usually so intense that one can hardly do anything else but complain and hope the pain goes away as soon as possible. The exact causes of migraine headaches are still unclear, although a number of years ago, it was thought to be a change in the state of the blood vessels supplying the brain. Now, however, the belief about migraine is due to the disturbance stems from the brain itself rather than in the vessels supplying it. One thing that’s sure is that the pain is somewhat relieved when circulation to the particular painful area is improved and the same principle holds true with migraines and this is where leeches come in handy.

Leeches are wonderful creatures, despite their reputation of being slightly – okay, overly disgusting to many people, they still prove to be helpful creatures! These remarkable invertebrates have found a way to keep us happy and at the same time keep themselves happy. It’s a relationship that’s mutually beneficial, so you really have to wonder why most people abhor them so much.

There is a theory that suggests migraines are caused by tiny blood clots that are formed in the heart, which then travel to the brain and these blood clots disrupt the flow of blood to the brain and thus cause the typical symptoms of migraine like the one-sided head-ache, photophobia, and nausea. As you may already know, there is a substance found in leeches called Hirudin. This substance is an anticoagulant, causing blood to become more diluted, thus allowing it to flow easier and faster. Hirudin can dissolve those little clots that have formed by converting fibrinogen to fibrin.

It’s also known that leeches can increase the circulation in the body, even on the head, because its sucks just enough blood to get the blood stream flowing. Leeches can also cause vasodilation, meaning the vessels are widened, thus lowering the pressure on the walls of these vessels, improving blood flow.

Good blood circulation is vital! In a painful area, it’s absolutely necessary, especially in places like the brain and using leeches instead of medications for migraines is healthier. For one thing, medications can have serious side effects unlike leeches which, if handled properly, are relatively safe and have no prolonged adverse effects. Drugs, especially strong pain relievers like narcotics, can be addictive, so they’re not advisable if possible. Frequent use of certain drugs may also cause dependence and an increase in tolerance, meaning the next time you’re in pain, you may need a higher dose and as you may be aware, higher dosages of drugs can be toxic for your body.

Another substance in leech saliva that is known to help relive migraines is a natural anesthetic that is released after attaching itself and can greatly relieve discomfort. If you’d rather have a leech on your head rather than a splitting headache, then perhaps leech therapy is the thing for you.

(http://toolsforlife-dvd.com.au/migraines.html)

Migraine Headaches and Leeches

Leeches are making a comeback, it seems.

Medicinal leeches are used to improve blood circulation, get rid of poisons in the blood, rejuvenate the respiratory and the excretory system and help with migraines.

They are used widely in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries. In India, just the last week Unani medicine experts finalized the standard operating procedures (SOP) that specifies rules that will have to be followed by all leech therapists in India.

And, in case you are wondering, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States classifies leeches as medical devices.

"Surgeons who do plastic and reconstructive surgery find leeches especially valuable when regrafting amputated appendages, such as fingers or toes. Severed blood vessels in such cases often are so damaged that they lack the ability to clear the area of blood. In these cases, it is difficult for the surgeon to make a route for blood to leave the affected part and return to circulation."

Leeches apply just enough amount of suction to get the blood flowing.

However, there is another aspect to using leeches that could possibly be of a benefit to migraine patients.

The parasite's saliva contains a powerful anti-clotting agent hirudin. At the same time, leeches emit a natural anesthetic that minimizes pain.

Anti-clotting medication has shown some promise as a migraine preventive. We've talked about it in the recent article Clopidogrel (Plavix) - Migraine Cure or a Death Trap?

The conclusion here is - it doesn't seem to be detrimental to one's health. Whether it really helps with migraines, the question for now remains open.

(http://www.raingem.com/2008/08/migraine-headaches-and-leeches.html)

Leech therapy makes a revival in Kashmir

Srinagar, April 24 : Doctors at various hospitals in Kashmir have adapted traditional leech therapy for patients suffering from various ailments like surgical reattachments of fingers, toes, ears for its ability to prevent venous congestion.

Leech therapy is considered quite effective, as when blood-sucking leeches bite a person, their saliva that contains several bioactive substances, causes blood flow to increase to the damaged tissue and prevents clotting.

Once bitten, a person can bleed for hours, allowing oxygenated blood to enter the wound area until veins re-grow and regain circulation.

Hospitals in Kashmir are using the leech therapy on patients suffering from arthritis, gout, chronic vertigo and sinusitis.

"Sinusitis results in mucous collection that leads to various ailments like headache, cough and cold. In order to get rid of it, surgical methods are adopted to drain the exodus. But leech therapy is easier than draining because leeches have certain enzymes that help to liquify and dissolve the substances and also have anti-biotic, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory substances that relieve the person from sinusitis," said Dr Nasir Hakeem, program incharge of leech therapy.

The hospitals using leeches for treatment follow the traditional Unani system of medicine.

The application of medicinal leech 'Hirudo medicinalis' for clearing poison from body has been practiced for long. In fact they have been used in medicine for thousands of years and is believed to have been in fashion in Egypt around 2,500 years ago.

Leech therapy was commonly used in traditional medicine for treating localized pain.

According to medical experts, more than 100 bioactive substances are present in the saliva of a leech that goes into the body of a patient while impure blood is extracted.

Earlier, people used to practice the traditional method on roadside or near shrines. And, traditional leech workers used leaches on multiple patients, thus, increasing the risk of transferable diseases.

But to avoid transmittable diseases, hospitals have adopted the single usage of a leech during the treatment. After a leech is used on any human, it is then killed as a part of the measures to prevent it from passing the infection from one patient to another.

A growing number of patients are showing interest, as they find the treatment in hospitals effective, hygienic and clean.

"I had a lot of pimples on my face but they have reduced now after I started undergoing leech therapy. It's very safe here in the hospitals. It is a kind of therapy where leeches purify the blood and we don't need any medicines for the treatment," said Faizaan Bhat, one patient.

"The leeches are found more during winters. It is a traditional form of therapy. Earlier people used to go to places like Hazrat Bal where they used to collect leaches in a pot. But here in the hospitals, everything is more hygienic," said Ajaz Ahmed, patient.

The medicinal leeches are brown, red striped and olive coloured. The creatures have two suckers, one at each end and have three jaws.

Leech species are carnivorous and the ones, which are predatory, feed on invertebrates like worms and snails. But a few of them are blood sucking and feed on vertebrates like reptiles and mammals.

Patients who have not been cured through conventional medicine are the ones who mostly come forward for the therapy.

It costs rupees 50 per leech used for treatment apart from other charges at the hospitals in Kashmir. (ANI)

Korea: Some Docs Latching Onto Leeches

By JOOHEE CHO
March 4, 2008


SEOUL — For seven years, Duck-Im Kim and her family tried everything they could to cure a rare skin disease called purpura — a red or purple discoloration that some doctors believe is caused by bleeding underneath the skin.

"My legs started to swell one day," Kim, 48, recalls. "And then it got red, really red … all over, and lasted for weeks, sometimes months."

Besides the pain, Kim says she was too embarrassed to go out in public. It eventually led her into serious depression.

There is no definitive cause or cure known in modern medicine for purpura. Combined with inflammation, the hemorrhagic area begins with red spots, becomes darker into purple, and later fades away to a brownish-yellow color.

But now Kim is looking to another, less conventional method that she hopes will help treat her condition.

"When I was just about to give up, I learned through the Internet that making leeches to suck my blood could help," says Kim, as she sits in a waiting room in Handongha Traditional Korean Medical Clinic, in Seoul. "Disgusting, yes, but being desperate I had no other options left."

Dr. Dong-Ha Han — nicknamed "doctor leech" for his eight years of research on medical leeches — says he can treat patients with vasculitis, skin ulcer, atopic dermatitis, rheumatic arthritis, migraine and gout. His toolbox includes leeches that are starved for six months.

"The theory is you make them bite and suck clotted blood vessels, allowing fresh blood to circulate," Han explains, while holding a plastic container filled with inch-long leeches. The secret, he says, is in an enzyme known as Hirudin, a very powerful anti-coagulant in leech saliva.

The leeches are taken out of the container into a glass tube with which they can be slid onto the area of infection. Kim is now undergoing her fifth session of the treatment, which costs $220 per visit.

She flinches for a moment as the leech bites in.

"It feels like a needle poking, but the pain soon goes away," she sighs in relief. That's because leeches secrete local anesthetic enzymes naturally to avoid detection by the host.

Once attached, the leeches will suck blood from 30 to 50 minutes. From about an inch long, they will become more than three times that size. After completely feeding itself, the leech falls off and fresh blood continues to drip from that spot for a minute or two.

In this session, Kim has a total of 19 leeches attached on both her legs. During the therapy, swelling has been visibly reduced.

"The healing process allows fresh and oxygenated blood to stream into her infected area," Han explains. "That way, it would restore normal circulation."

Kim nods in approval. "It's gruesome at first. But I couldn't believe it when I saw the results."

Ancient Therapy Meets Modern Medicine

Leech therapy dates back 2,500 years to ancient Egypt, where bloodletting was practiced in the belief that it would bring balance to the human body.

Bloodletting continued on to medieval Europe, where doctors used leeches to treat tonsillitis by hanging a leech on a string and inserting it down the patient's throat. The treatment was so popular that commercial leech trading became an industry.

But supply could not keep up with extremely high demand, which led to near-extinction of the leeches used in the practice.

In Korea, leech therapy began 500 years ago. But according to Han, up until now modern medicine had largely disregarded treatments using the creatures. Now, however, he says the technique is slowly making a comeback. Indeed, many doctors are now using leeches to help restore circulation after microsurgery on ears or fingers.

"In Europe, especially in Germany, the leech therapy is widely used in modern western medical practice," said Dr. Byung-Kee Han, a plastic surgeon at Bundang Cha Hospital. But he adds that the fact that the therapy is not covered by insurance in Korea makes it a pricey option.

"There's a big market out there, but the therapy is not cost-effective, at least in Korea," he says.

(http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainManagement/story?id=4379952&page=1)